A Language Course Within the Scheme of Socially Responsible Teaching: ELT Trainees’ Expectations

Abstract

The current study aims at investigating ELT teacher trainees’ expectations from a GILE-based course (Global Issues in Language Education) conducted in a large state university in Turkey. The course was offered in the ELT program for the first time as an elective to increase trainees’ awareness on global issues while improving their language skills. A quasi-experimental research design was adopted to investigate trainees’ expectations from the course. Data were collected via a questionnaire administered before and after the course was implemented to compare the trainees’ expectations from and views about the GILE-based course. All of the fourth-year ELT trainees (N=28) enrolled in the course contributed to the study. The qualitative and quantitative analysis of data indicated that the participants had positive attitudes towards the inclusion of environmental issues in foreign language learning and teaching. However, only a minority of teacher trainees considered GILE as essential for language teacher training. The findings were discussed in relation to foreign language teaching education.

DOI: 10.5901/jesr.2014.v4n2p355